Be like the flowing river,
Silent in the night.
Be not afraid of the dark.
If there are stars in the sky, reflect them back.
If there are clouds in the sky,
Remember, clouds, like the river, are water,
So, gladly reflect them too,
In your own tranquil depths.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Yet again, Thanksgiving is here and we are going to celebrate. It is not only a “Turkey day” but the time to give thanks for every thing we have. For peace, love, security, family and friends. We are grateful live safely with people we love and having the chance of gathering together for this holiday. Happy Thanksgiving
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Pathways to Peace/ by: Kimberly Weichel
What does peace really mean?
It means much more than the absence of war
peace is about how we treat each other
and how we live with our neighbors
peace starts with each of us
how we practice love and respect in our families
what we teach our children
and how we listen and speak with love
peace is how we respect differences
whether it be religion,culture, ethnicity or prespective
diversity is the richness of life
a strength to be celebrated and valued
to live a peaceful life means many things
it means forgiving people who you feel have hurt you
it means learning from each situation
and having a positive attitude about life
it means respecting the environment
developing healthy relationships
living our values in our workplace
and being peace in all parts of life
it means having a healthy media
that feeds us nourishing stories and balanced news
it means having joyful work environment
in which we can feel respected, creative and fulfilled
peace is a state fo mind, a way of being
it is also a path of daily action
peace is deep connection with myself and others
peace is personal, political, spiritual practical and
may we each live in peace, with love in our hearts
and understanding as the common bond
that binds us on our various pathways to peace
It means much more than the absence of war
peace is about how we treat each other
and how we live with our neighbors
peace starts with each of us
how we practice love and respect in our families
what we teach our children
and how we listen and speak with love
peace is how we respect differences
whether it be religion,culture, ethnicity or prespective
diversity is the richness of life
a strength to be celebrated and valued
to live a peaceful life means many things
it means forgiving people who you feel have hurt you
it means learning from each situation
and having a positive attitude about life
it means respecting the environment
developing healthy relationships
living our values in our workplace
and being peace in all parts of life
it means having a healthy media
that feeds us nourishing stories and balanced news
it means having joyful work environment
in which we can feel respected, creative and fulfilled
peace is a state fo mind, a way of being
it is also a path of daily action
peace is deep connection with myself and others
peace is personal, political, spiritual practical and
may we each live in peace, with love in our hearts
and understanding as the common bond
that binds us on our various pathways to peace
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Poran Poregbal
One Major Essay, Our Life Story
Each one of us has to write a major life story essay. What do I mean? Let me explain. Our Iranian culture has to share stories that help out our next generations to value what we are coming from. Every cultural group has to be able to share their experiences and life changing events with their next generations.
Our children can only make informed decisions in the future by knowing about our experiences.
There is one major essay each one of us is requested to write. The requirement is a discourse, a concept that our future generations are going to create.
This is a place where our shared beliefs and common interests will be evaluated in the intersection of our mistakes and life experiences. This is where we will be evaluated and discussed by our next generations. This is what history is about.
Our children, our grandchildren and our next generations will look back and wonder why in the world their previous generations did not do more to protect them from the harmful events that are happening in our history. This is the same dilemma we have right now, why our past generations did not inform us of how our fragile and vulnerable our culture was.
For sure, all the documentaries, movies, books, and accumulated electronic based data are doing this work for us. Still, each one of us is a living book.
There is a huge number of untold stories that we Iranian need to tell in order to get the truth come forward. Right now we may be confused and embarrassed about situations we have to endure. At the same time we are handling many balls in the air, an ability that make us survivors.
We owe our children the story of our lives, to let our next generation learn from our mistakes as well as our many rich experiences.
The amount of events that has made our Iranian life what it is now is too overwhelming, too painful, and too enmeshed to describe with one single essay. In any case we have to do this.
Each one of us has to write a major life story essay. What do I mean? Let me explain. Our Iranian culture has to share stories that help out our next generations to value what we are coming from. Every cultural group has to be able to share their experiences and life changing events with their next generations.
Our children can only make informed decisions in the future by knowing about our experiences.
There is one major essay each one of us is requested to write. The requirement is a discourse, a concept that our future generations are going to create.
This is a place where our shared beliefs and common interests will be evaluated in the intersection of our mistakes and life experiences. This is where we will be evaluated and discussed by our next generations. This is what history is about.
Our children, our grandchildren and our next generations will look back and wonder why in the world their previous generations did not do more to protect them from the harmful events that are happening in our history. This is the same dilemma we have right now, why our past generations did not inform us of how our fragile and vulnerable our culture was.
For sure, all the documentaries, movies, books, and accumulated electronic based data are doing this work for us. Still, each one of us is a living book.
There is a huge number of untold stories that we Iranian need to tell in order to get the truth come forward. Right now we may be confused and embarrassed about situations we have to endure. At the same time we are handling many balls in the air, an ability that make us survivors.
We owe our children the story of our lives, to let our next generation learn from our mistakes as well as our many rich experiences.
The amount of events that has made our Iranian life what it is now is too overwhelming, too painful, and too enmeshed to describe with one single essay. In any case we have to do this.
Monday, August 11, 2008
What is Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes and behaviour. Psychologists observe and record how people and other animals relate to one another and to the environment. They look for patterns that will help them understand and predict behaviour, and they use scientific methods to test their ideas. Through such studies, psychologists have learned much that can help people fulfill their potential as human beings and increase understanding between individuals, groups, nations, and cultures. Psychology is a broad field that explores a variety of questions about thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Psychologists ask such questions as: what activities distinguish human beings from other animals? What abilities are we born with, and which must we learn? How much does the mind affect the body, and how does the body affect the mind? For example, can we change our heart rate or temperature just by thinking about doing so? What can our dreams tell us about our needs, wishes, and desires? Why do we like the people we like? Why are some people bashful and others not shy at all? What causes violence? What is mental illness, and how can it be cured?" The research findings of psychologists have greatly increased our understanding of why people behave as they do. For example, psychologists have discovered much about how personality develops and how to promote healthy development. They have some knowledge of how to help people change bad habits and how to help students learn.
They understand some of the conditions that can make workers more productive. A great deal remains to be discovered. Nevertheless, insights provided by psychology can help people function better as individuals, friends, family members, and workers.
From: a2zpsycology.com
Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes and behaviour. Psychologists observe and record how people and other animals relate to one another and to the environment. They look for patterns that will help them understand and predict behaviour, and they use scientific methods to test their ideas. Through such studies, psychologists have learned much that can help people fulfill their potential as human beings and increase understanding between individuals, groups, nations, and cultures. Psychology is a broad field that explores a variety of questions about thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Psychologists ask such questions as: what activities distinguish human beings from other animals? What abilities are we born with, and which must we learn? How much does the mind affect the body, and how does the body affect the mind? For example, can we change our heart rate or temperature just by thinking about doing so? What can our dreams tell us about our needs, wishes, and desires? Why do we like the people we like? Why are some people bashful and others not shy at all? What causes violence? What is mental illness, and how can it be cured?" The research findings of psychologists have greatly increased our understanding of why people behave as they do. For example, psychologists have discovered much about how personality develops and how to promote healthy development. They have some knowledge of how to help people change bad habits and how to help students learn.
They understand some of the conditions that can make workers more productive. A great deal remains to be discovered. Nevertheless, insights provided by psychology can help people function better as individuals, friends, family members, and workers.
From: a2zpsycology.com
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Proverbs or Zarbol Masals
A Proverb (in Persian: Goftaar-e-Kheradmandaaneh or Zarbolmassal), derived from the Latin term of Proverbium, is a short sentence, usually known by many people, expressing something commonly experienced, or giving advice. Proverbs are part of every spoken language and folk literature, originating in oral tradition. One proverb may be completely similar in different languages and cultures. Most proverbs express some basic truth or practical precept. The study of proverbs is called Paremiology. Proverbs are as a part of the Iranian culture and everyday speech, and their understanding can lead to a more profound insight into language and culture. These proverbs always had a strong affinity with Persian Poetry and Literature, and have retained a symbiotic relationship with those arts over a long period of time.
FIRST CONTRIBUTERS TO THE COLLECTIONS OF PERSIAN PROVERBS:
Ferdowsi (935-1020), the first Iranian poet of national epics, is also known undoubtedly to be the first Iranian who professionally introduced many proverbs in his Epic Book of Shahnameh. Asadi Tusi (died in 1072)with book of Garshaspnameh and his Persian Dictionary of Asadi , Iraj Mirza (1874-1926), Ali Akbar-e-Dehkhoda (1879-1959) with Proverbs and Mottos (in Persian: Amssaal-o-Hekam)in four volumes, Amirgholi Amini with Farhang-e-Avaam, Mehdi Partovi Amoli with Risheh-haa-ye-Tarikhi Amssal-o-Hekam are only a few of poets and journalism who worked on Iranian proverbs.
Here are few examples of PERSIAN PROVERBS translated to English:
1. It is better to be in chains with friends, than to be in a garden with strangers.
2.A broken hand works, but not a broken heart.
3. An egg thief becomes a camel thief.
4. He who has been bitten by a snake fears a piece of string.
5. He who wants a rose must respect the thorn.
6. In the ants' house the dew is a flood.
7.The larger a man's roof the more snow it collects.
8.Do not cut down the tree that gives you shade.
9.A bad wound heals but a bad word does not.
10.When the cat and the mouse agree, the store manager is broke.
11.Treat your superior as a father, your equal as a brother, and your inferior as a son.
12.One who has wisdom is powerful.
13. Spilled water cannot be gathered again.
14.A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend.
15.The world is a rose. Smell it, and pass it to your friends.
By Manouchehr Saadat Noury - Persian Journal
A Proverb (in Persian: Goftaar-e-Kheradmandaaneh or Zarbolmassal), derived from the Latin term of Proverbium, is a short sentence, usually known by many people, expressing something commonly experienced, or giving advice. Proverbs are part of every spoken language and folk literature, originating in oral tradition. One proverb may be completely similar in different languages and cultures. Most proverbs express some basic truth or practical precept. The study of proverbs is called Paremiology. Proverbs are as a part of the Iranian culture and everyday speech, and their understanding can lead to a more profound insight into language and culture. These proverbs always had a strong affinity with Persian Poetry and Literature, and have retained a symbiotic relationship with those arts over a long period of time.
FIRST CONTRIBUTERS TO THE COLLECTIONS OF PERSIAN PROVERBS:
Ferdowsi (935-1020), the first Iranian poet of national epics, is also known undoubtedly to be the first Iranian who professionally introduced many proverbs in his Epic Book of Shahnameh. Asadi Tusi (died in 1072)with book of Garshaspnameh and his Persian Dictionary of Asadi , Iraj Mirza (1874-1926), Ali Akbar-e-Dehkhoda (1879-1959) with Proverbs and Mottos (in Persian: Amssaal-o-Hekam)in four volumes, Amirgholi Amini with Farhang-e-Avaam, Mehdi Partovi Amoli with Risheh-haa-ye-Tarikhi Amssal-o-Hekam are only a few of poets and journalism who worked on Iranian proverbs.
Here are few examples of PERSIAN PROVERBS translated to English:
1. It is better to be in chains with friends, than to be in a garden with strangers.
2.A broken hand works, but not a broken heart.
3. An egg thief becomes a camel thief.
4. He who has been bitten by a snake fears a piece of string.
5. He who wants a rose must respect the thorn.
6. In the ants' house the dew is a flood.
7.The larger a man's roof the more snow it collects.
8.Do not cut down the tree that gives you shade.
9.A bad wound heals but a bad word does not.
10.When the cat and the mouse agree, the store manager is broke.
11.Treat your superior as a father, your equal as a brother, and your inferior as a son.
12.One who has wisdom is powerful.
13. Spilled water cannot be gathered again.
14.A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend.
15.The world is a rose. Smell it, and pass it to your friends.
By Manouchehr Saadat Noury - Persian Journal
Thursday, July 3, 2008
The Stages of Immigration
The stages of immigration have been extensively written about the culture shock which occurs after immigration. This culture shock follows on directly as a result of changes which occur to one's value systems - to the new ideas in one's new country.
1. Honeymoon Phase.
Most people begin with great expectations and a positive mind-set. There is excitement, new sights, new smells, new tastes and the early problems are experienced as quaint - as part of the newness - anything new is intriguing and exciting. And, anyway, there are more pressing problems to deal with, like opening bank accounts, getting drivers licences, finding schools, doctors, dentists, gynaecologists. These are usually handled with the accompanying euphoria of having overcome each of these first hurdles successfully.
2. Rejection Phase.
The honeymoon phase comes to an end as the newcomer has to deal with transportation problems (buses that don't come on time), shopping problems (can't buy their favourite foods or soaps or whatever) or communication problems (What does "See ya' later"/'No worries mate' really mean?). Little things come up but it may start to seem like people somehow no longer care about your problems. They may help, but they don't seem to understand your concern over what they see as small problems. You might even start to think that the people in your new country don't like newcomers and often you may begin to feel aggressive and start to complain about the new culture/country - 'Canadians are ' ', or 'The system is ''. It is important to recognize that these feelings are real and can become acute. This phase is a crisis phase in the 'disease' of culture shock and is called the "rejection" phase precisely because it is at this point that the newcomer starts to reject the host country, complaining about and noticing only the bad things that bother them. At this stage the newcomer either gets stronger and stays, or gets weaker and goes home (physically, mentally or both)
3. Regression Phase.
If you have struggled with phase 2, you may find yourself moving into regression - moving backward - and in this phase of culture shock, you spend much of your time speaking your own language, watching videos from your home country, eating food from home. You may also notice that you are moving in social circles which are exclusively made up of people from your own background and you don't want to meet locals. You may spend most of this time complaining about the new country/culture and its strange and senseless ways. Also in the regression phase, you may only remember the good things about your home country which may suddenly seem marvellously wonderful; all the difficulties that you had there are forgotten and you may find yourself wondering why you ever left. You may now only remember your home country as a wonderful place in which nothing ever went wrong for you. Of course, this is not true, but an illusion created by your culture shock crisis.
4. Recovery Phase or At-Ease-At-Last Phase:
If you survive the third stage successfully, you will move into the fourth stage of culture shock. In this stage you become more comfortable with the language and you also feel more comfortable with the customs of your new country. You can now move around without a feeling of anxiety. You still have problems with some of the social cues and you may still not understand everything people say (especially idioms) or do. However, you are now much better adjusted to the new culture and you start to realize that no country is that much better than another - it is just different lifestyles and different ways to deal with the problems of life. With this new adjustment, you accept the food, drinks, habits and customs of the new country, and you may even find yourself preferring some things in the new country, to things at home. You have now understood that there are different ways to live your life and that no way is really better than another, just different. Finally, you have become comfortable in the new place - it's not so bad. Most importantly, your sense of humour will have returned and you find you are able to look at yourself and laugh.
5. Reverse Culture Shock or Return Culture Shock
This occurs when you return home after a long stay abroad and does not concern us here.
Generally speaking, it is important to remember that not everyone experiences all the phases of culture shock. In addition, you can experience all of them at different times: you might experience the regression phase before the rejection phase, etc. You might even experience the regression phase on Monday, the at-ease phase on Tuesday, the honeymoon phase on Wednesday, and the rejection phase again on Thursday. What will Friday be like?
Another interesting thing about culture shock is that there are routinely not one but two low points, and even more interestingly, they will accommodate themselves to the amount of time you intend to spend in the host country - are you a visitor or an immigrant? How long will culture shock last? That varies depending upon where you came from, how different the cultures are, your support systems and so on, but it also depends to some extent on you and your resiliency. You can expect a let-up after the first dip, but be prepared for the second downturn which may or may not occur.
From: lossesintranslation.com
The stages of immigration have been extensively written about the culture shock which occurs after immigration. This culture shock follows on directly as a result of changes which occur to one's value systems - to the new ideas in one's new country.
1. Honeymoon Phase.
Most people begin with great expectations and a positive mind-set. There is excitement, new sights, new smells, new tastes and the early problems are experienced as quaint - as part of the newness - anything new is intriguing and exciting. And, anyway, there are more pressing problems to deal with, like opening bank accounts, getting drivers licences, finding schools, doctors, dentists, gynaecologists. These are usually handled with the accompanying euphoria of having overcome each of these first hurdles successfully.
2. Rejection Phase.
The honeymoon phase comes to an end as the newcomer has to deal with transportation problems (buses that don't come on time), shopping problems (can't buy their favourite foods or soaps or whatever) or communication problems (What does "See ya' later"/'No worries mate' really mean?). Little things come up but it may start to seem like people somehow no longer care about your problems. They may help, but they don't seem to understand your concern over what they see as small problems. You might even start to think that the people in your new country don't like newcomers and often you may begin to feel aggressive and start to complain about the new culture/country - 'Canadians are ' ', or 'The system is ''. It is important to recognize that these feelings are real and can become acute. This phase is a crisis phase in the 'disease' of culture shock and is called the "rejection" phase precisely because it is at this point that the newcomer starts to reject the host country, complaining about and noticing only the bad things that bother them. At this stage the newcomer either gets stronger and stays, or gets weaker and goes home (physically, mentally or both)
3. Regression Phase.
If you have struggled with phase 2, you may find yourself moving into regression - moving backward - and in this phase of culture shock, you spend much of your time speaking your own language, watching videos from your home country, eating food from home. You may also notice that you are moving in social circles which are exclusively made up of people from your own background and you don't want to meet locals. You may spend most of this time complaining about the new country/culture and its strange and senseless ways. Also in the regression phase, you may only remember the good things about your home country which may suddenly seem marvellously wonderful; all the difficulties that you had there are forgotten and you may find yourself wondering why you ever left. You may now only remember your home country as a wonderful place in which nothing ever went wrong for you. Of course, this is not true, but an illusion created by your culture shock crisis.
4. Recovery Phase or At-Ease-At-Last Phase:
If you survive the third stage successfully, you will move into the fourth stage of culture shock. In this stage you become more comfortable with the language and you also feel more comfortable with the customs of your new country. You can now move around without a feeling of anxiety. You still have problems with some of the social cues and you may still not understand everything people say (especially idioms) or do. However, you are now much better adjusted to the new culture and you start to realize that no country is that much better than another - it is just different lifestyles and different ways to deal with the problems of life. With this new adjustment, you accept the food, drinks, habits and customs of the new country, and you may even find yourself preferring some things in the new country, to things at home. You have now understood that there are different ways to live your life and that no way is really better than another, just different. Finally, you have become comfortable in the new place - it's not so bad. Most importantly, your sense of humour will have returned and you find you are able to look at yourself and laugh.
5. Reverse Culture Shock or Return Culture Shock
This occurs when you return home after a long stay abroad and does not concern us here.
Generally speaking, it is important to remember that not everyone experiences all the phases of culture shock. In addition, you can experience all of them at different times: you might experience the regression phase before the rejection phase, etc. You might even experience the regression phase on Monday, the at-ease phase on Tuesday, the honeymoon phase on Wednesday, and the rejection phase again on Thursday. What will Friday be like?
Another interesting thing about culture shock is that there are routinely not one but two low points, and even more interestingly, they will accommodate themselves to the amount of time you intend to spend in the host country - are you a visitor or an immigrant? How long will culture shock last? That varies depending upon where you came from, how different the cultures are, your support systems and so on, but it also depends to some extent on you and your resiliency. You can expect a let-up after the first dip, but be prepared for the second downturn which may or may not occur.
From: lossesintranslation.com
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